Illuminating phonograph pickup



Jan. 19, W43. L. a. GLASER ILLUMINATING PHONOGRAPH PICKUP Filed April 17, 1941 IINVENTOR LEO B. GLASER ATTORNEYS Patented. Jan. 19, 1943 IILUMINATING PHONOGRAPH PICKUP Leo B. Glaser, Cranford, N. J2, assignor to General Instrument Corporation, Elizabeth, N. 3.,- a corporation of New Jersey Application April 17, 1941, Serial No. 389,018

7 Claims. (Gl. 240-212) This invention relates to an illuminating and illuminated phonograph pickup.

The prime object of the present invention centers about the provision of a phonograph sound translating device such as a phonograph pickup, provided with an optical system which is designed to illuminate the needle of the pickup device and more particularly the needle engaging part of a phonograph record, and to illuminate display characters such as a manufacturers advertising display on the pickup arm.

It has long been considered desirable to supply phonographs with means for illuminating the needle and the needle engaging part of a phonograph record so that the pickup or tone arm could be certain to be handled or manipulated in such a way as to direct the needle on to the record first in advance of and then towards the starting groove thereof. Such an illuminating means is particularly desirable in modern practice or use, where phonographs are located in places not freely accessible to light, such as in a top well of a cabinet or in a pull drawer. Difilculties have, however, been encountered in making or designing a suitable illuminating means. If such an illuminating means is provided at some extraneous point, mechanical difliculties soon prove practically insurmountable, and where it is contemplated to mount such illuminating means on the movable tone arm, similar objections have been met with and also the imposed restrictions that the tone arm or pickup arm should not be materially changed in assembly or increased in bulk or weight.

By means of the present invention, an optical system is provided for the desired illumination which is made part of the tone arm or pickup arm assembly and which not only does not involve any increase in size or weight of the pickup, but

which is associated with the pickup device in such a way as not to require any material modification in the normal structure and functioning thereof. The provision of such an illuminating system for a phonograph pickup is the prime object of the invention. I

It is also desired, to impart a more distinctive character to the tone arm and to afford or permit a display such as one for advertising the name of the phonograph manufacturer, to associate with the tone am an illuminated display. To accomplish this has involved difficulties akin to those above referred to. By means of the present invention, the tone or pickup arm may be enhanced by the provision of such an illuminated display, and a further prime object of the present invention centers about the provision of a unique optical system for accomplishing this.

According to the present invention, an optical illuminating system is produced which is carried by the front tone or pickup arm housing or cap, is assembled with the pickup cartridge or device therein, and which in the preferred form simultaneously functions for needle and display illumination. The entire illuminating system is of small bulk and weight does not interfere with the use of the normal or usual structure of the pickup device or its functioning.

To the accomplishment of all of the aforesaid objects and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention resides in the pickup assembly and the essential parts thereof as herein described and sought to be defined in the appended claims.

In the appended drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of a phonograph showing the optical system of my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a view taken on an enlarged scale showing the illuminating pickup of the present invention, parts of the device being shown in cross-section;

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof;

- Figure 4 is an'elevational view taken on a larger scale of the optical system itself; and

Figure 5 is a plan view thereof.

I The optical illuminating system of the inven tion may be applied to different characters or forms of tone arms or pickup arms and is herein disclosed in connection with a generally standard type of electrical pickup device. In Figure 1 of the drawing, the optical system is shownapplied to such an electrical pickup device, and referring first to this figure, the phonograph comprises the customary turntable T, a pickup or suspension arm A swivelly mounted in the customary way on the turntable support and tone arm standard generally designated as S. The turntable is shown with the customary disc record R, the needleengaging part of which it is desired to illuminate. The pickup arm A may be made of any suitable material and is shown to be made of a plastic, although metal may be used. This tone arm may be of any customary construction and is only modified by the provision in the front housing or cap section ID of the tone arm of an elongated oval shaped window ll through which the illuminated display is made visible.

The tone arm A known pickup cartridge or device l2, as shown is provided with any well' in Figure 2, which is secured to the top wall of the tone arm can or housing I by means of the two securing elements or screws l3,i3 (see Figures 2 and 3). This pickup device is supplied with the usual stylus which receives the record needle l4 held in position by means of an ad- Justable screw l5 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. In one customary form of these pickup arms, the adjusting screw extends through a slot in the front wall H) of the tone arm cap, but where semi-permanent or permanent needles are used, it may be inset as shown herein.

To carry out the first stated object of the invention, I provide an optical system generally designated as O, which is carried by the front cap or housing of the pickup or tone arm and is constructed so that a shaft or beam of light may be directed from some point such as 12 rearwardly of the pickup device or cartridge l2 to a point p in advance thereof and to a region for illuminating the needle engaging part of the phonograph record as is best indicated by the arrowed lines emerging from the tone arm cap shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. This optical system 0 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing is carried wholly by the front tone or pickup arm housing or cap and is assembled with the pickup cartridge or device l2 therein without interfering with the adoption or use of the normal or customary structure of the pickup device or its functioning, the optical system 0 having such comparatively negligible weight and size as not to increase the size or materially the weight of the pickup assembly.

More specifically, the optical system 0 comprises a light transmitting piece or unit mounted in the housing or cap in over the pickup cartridge or device i2 and extending over the length of the pickup device, the said light transmitting piece consisting of a unit which is adapted to reflect and transmit light from the light source point p to the region to be illuminated. I have found that a plastic material such as Lucite or Tenite may be so-shaped and designed as to effectively accomplish the desired purposes, such a plastic piece also offering the advantage of being very light in weight.

The optical system 0, or more accurately the transmitting part thereof, is, therefore, fashioned from a plastic such as Lucite or Tenite" and is preferably shaped to provide a horizontal section a which extends over the length of the pickup device l2, a downwardly bent front section b directed towards the pickup needle and a downwardly bent and rearwardly curved rear section 0 having a terminus at the light source point p. The horizontal section of the plastic unit is made flat and relatively thin so as to occupy the minimum space above the pickup cartridge i2, and the top part of this horizontal section is provided with an embossed part a. narrower than the width of the said section, which is adapted to be inserted in and received by the window I l formed in the tone arm cap ID, the adjacent parts of the section a forming stop shoulders for this purpose, as is best shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. The front depending section 1) preferably terminates near the bottom edge of the casing wall I0 and the terminus may be concaved or convexed, depending on whether it is desired to spread or concentrate the emerging rays. -As shown, this terminus H5 is concaved so that the light is somewhat spread, as best shown by the arrowed lines H in Figure 4 of the drawing. The rear depending section c is preferably funneled in its vertical direction so that the light entrant terminus IB, which is also suitably concaved (as best shown in Figure 4), may embrace as much of the light source as is possible. The optical piece 0 may be recessed as at l9, [9 for receiving the cartridge screws l3, l3, whereby these screws may serve to locate and secure the optical piece in position. Where a cartridge is used employing a needle screw l5 extending through a front slot in the pickup arm casing, the screw may extend through a suitable orifice in the depending section b.

Associated with this optical unit 0 and arranged adjacent the rear section 0 thereof is provided a light source 20 in the form of a bulb or lamp which is receivable in a lamp socket 2| of any suitable form and light weight construction, having a supporting arm 22 which is adapted to be secured to a post 23 provided in the pickup arm. To shield the light 1 source, the socket 2| may be provided with the shield extension 24 (see Figure 2).

The optical system 0 functions to transmit and reflect light from the source 20 at the point p to the point of emergence p at the needle region. The shaft or path of light follows the contour or shape of the plastic piece 0, the walls of which act as reflecting surfaces and the body of which acts as a transmitting medium. This is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing by taking two exemplary rays 1', r of the light bundle. By reference-to Figure 4, it will be seen that the rays are both reflected and transmitted, and, consequently, follow the shape or form of the plastic piece and finally emerge at the front terminus of the same for illuminating the desired spot. Thereby is illuminated not only the initial engaging part of the phonograph record, but every part of the record traveled by the needle in its transit or movement over the record. Consequently, not only may the user be guided by this illumination to properly locate the needle in advance of and then towards the starting groove, but the user may be guided to place the needle on any desired marked point of the playing record, as in case it is desired to reproduce only a part of the record selection.

I have found that this optical system may be very effectively employed to produce an illuminated display such as an advertising display. It is for this purpose that the window II is provided, into which the top of the plastic unit 0 is inserted. The illuminated display is produced by suitably engraving or embossing display characters in the horizontal section a of the plastic piece 0 in the path of transmitted and reflected light beam. I have found that this may be effectively done by engraving the display indicia such as display characters in the bottom face 25 of the horizontal section a. The {top face 26 may be desirably left smooth. As shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, display characters 21, 21 spelling out the name of the manufacturer may be formed in the bottom face 25 by being suitably engraved therein. The transmitted and reflected rays of the light beam play upon the illuminated characters, and these appear when viewed through the window II as illuminated characters against a neutral background. To enhance the efiect, the side walls of the engraving may be beveled as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawing. When the light source is on, the effect is as shown in either Figure 3 or Figure 5 of the drawing. Preferably, a paper or similar backing 28 aaoaoeo (see Figure 2) is positioned between the cartridge l2 and the plastic piece to obscure the cartridge, this paper backing being also held in position by means of the two screws I3, 13-.

The structure, functioning and advantages of the illuminating phonograph pickup of my present invention will in the main be fully apparent from th above-detailed description thereof. It will be seen that the optical system device simultaneously functions for needle and display illumination, but it will be understood that it may be constructed for either purpose alone. It will be seen that the use thereof does not involve any increase in size or any material increase in the weight of the pickup or any material modification in the normal structure and functioning of the pickup device. The tone arm is enhanced by the illuminated advertising or other display, and the needle path is desirably illuminated thereby. The optical system is inexpensive to produce and adds the many stated advantages to a tone or pickup arm structure.

It will be understood that many changes may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention. Asnoted above, the optical system is designed to illuminate the needle of the pickup device itself as well as the needle engaging part of the phonograph record. If desired, however, the needle alone or the needle engaging part of the phonograph record alone may be illuminated. While the description has been made with reference to a phonograph pickup, it will be understood that the optical system may be employed with equal desirability in connection with a cutting stylus on a recording unit; and, therefore, wherever in the specification and the claims I specifically refer to a pickup or reproducing device, I consider as an equivalent thereof a cutting stylus or recording device. While I have found that "Lucite or Tenite eifectively serves as the plastic material, it will be understood that any other plastic material may be used for the optical unit; I have found, for example, that Styrene gives serviceable results and is approximately equivalent in light transmission to Lucite.

I claim:

1. An illuminating phonograph pickup comprising a pickup arm the front end of which forms a housing, a pickup device mounted in said housing, a window on the top of said housing, and an optical system carried by said arm for illuminating a display viewable through said window, said optical system comprising a light transmitting piece mounted in said housing and extending over the length of said window, the said light transmitting piece being provided with display characters, a light source in said arm at the inner terminus of said light transmitting piece,

said light transmitting piece functioning to transmit light from said light source to said display characters to illuminate the. same.

2. An illuminating phonograph pickup comprising a pickup arm the front end of which forms a housing, a window on the top of said housing, a pickup device mounted in said housing, and an optical system carried by said arm for illuminating a display viewable through said window, said optical system comprising a plastic light transmitting piece mounted in said housing and extending above the pickup device and over the length of said window, the said plastic piece having a smooth top face and being provided with engraved display characters on its bottom face,

a light source in said arm at the inner terminus of said light transmitting piece, said plastic piece functioning to transmit light from said light source to said display characters to illuminate the same.

3. An illuminating phonograph pickup comprising a pickup arm the front end of which forms a housing, a pickup device mounted in said housing, a window on the top of said housing, and an optical system carried by said arm for illuminating a display viewable through said window and illuminating the needle engaging P rt of a phonograph record, said optical system comprising a light transmitting piece mounted in said housing and extending over the length of and between said pickup device and said window, the said light transmitting piece being provided with display characters, a light source in said arm at the rear or inner terminus of said light transmitting piece, said light transmitting piece functioning to transmit light from said light source to said display characters to illuminate the same and to the front or outer terminus of said piece to illuminate the needle engaging part of the record.

4. For a phonograph pickup with its arm and pickup device, an optical system adapted to be carried by the pickup arm in its front housing comprising,a flat elongated light transmitting piece adapted to be mounted in said housing above the pickup device therein, the'said piece having a front or outer terminus directed to illuminate the needle of said pickup device and an inner or rear terminus adapted for a source of light, the top of said plastic piece being a smoothfaced section adapted to seat in a window of said housing and the bottom face of said plastic piece being provided with integral characters adapted to be illuminated by light transmitted through the plastic piece from said light source and visible through said window.

5. For a phonograph pickup arm and pickup device, an optical system adapted to be carried by the pickup arm in its front housing comprising, a fiat elongated light transmitting piece adapted to be mounted in said housing above the pickup device therein, the said piece having a horizontal section adapted to extend over the length of the pickup device, a. downwardly bent front section directable towards the pickup needle to illuminate the same and a downwardly bent rear section adapted for a source of light, the top of the horizontal section of said plastic being an embossed smooth-faced section adapted to seat in a window of said housing and the bottom face thereof being provided with integral engraved characters adapted to be illuminated by light transmitted from said light source and visible through said window.

6. An illuminating phonograph pickup comprising a pickup arm the front end of which forms a housing, a window on the top of said housing, a pickup device mounted in said housing, and an optical system carried by said arm for illuminating a display at said window, said optical system comprising a. plastic light transmitting piece mounted in said housing and extending over the length of said window, the said plastic piece having an inner or rear terminus adapted for a source of light, said plastic piece functioning to transmit light from said light source to said window to illuminate a display thereat.

7. An illuminating phonograph pickup comprising a pickup arm the front end of which forms a housing, a window on the top of said directed to illuminate the needle 0! said pickup device and an inner or rear terminus adapted for a source of light, said plastic piece functioning to transmit light from said light source to said 5 window to illuminate a display thereat.

LEO B. GLASER. 

